Acura
Honda makes nice automobiles. Acura, its elevated luxury-oriented model, additionally makes nice automobiles, however they face off towards a extra intense aggressive set. Acura has light into the background a bit over the previous a number of years, save for its sensational Integra Kind S, however it seems change is on the horizon, with an announcement at the moment that Acura is engaged on some thrilling tasks. These tasks embody a “new adventure-ready SUV” that we’re anticipating can be based mostly off Honda’s wonderful Passport, a brand new eight-passenger SUV, and a brand new V6 hybrid powertrain that is deliberate to be used in Acura’s bigger fashions.
The model has been teasing the subsequent technology of its compact RDX crossover for ages now, however the one replace is that Acura nonetheless expects it to come back to market in 2028, with an obtainable hybrid powertrain. Honda posted a stunning $5.7 billion loss final 12 months, and a giant $1.7 billion hit on its half-hearted try at promoting its electrical Prologue and Acura ZDX that had been based mostly on GM’s Ultium platform, so we’re hoping the Japanese carmaker will get again on monitor with its next-generation fashions.
Acura was a three-row crossover pioneer
Acura
When Acura launched its Odyssey minivan–based mostly MDX manner again in 2001, it beat out each different luxurious SUV on sale on the time in a Automotive and Driver comparability, together with the BMW X5 and Lexus RX300. It was the primary car-based three-row SUV, and over time it has earned tens of millions of gross sales, however occasions have modified. The most recent development within the U.S. market is towards outsized crossovers just like the upcoming Audi Q9 and hot-selling Lexus TX, so Acura goes to see if it may well money in on that development with an eight-passenger mannequin bigger than its seven-seater MDX.
One other trade development is the recognition of off-roadified crossovers, and Honda’s personal Passport Trailsport is an ideal instance of that. It is a rugged trim that is made up the overwhelming majority of all Passport gross sales, so we’re anticipating Acura’s upcoming “adventure-ready SUV” that is set to reach within the first a part of 2028 to be based mostly on that already profitable platform. (The teaser picture on the high of this story is unquestionably of that mannequin.)
As for its different fashions — the subcompact ADX, the MDX, and the Integra — Acura says they’ll “meet buyer wants throughout a spread of life levels,” which does not really inform something about their updates or respective futures. There’s lots using on the success of those new SUVs, so for Acura’s sake, we hope they’ll persuade patrons to disregard the ample aggressive set and head to the Acura vendor as an alternative.
